Hamilton forgets Fuji trauma

Eurosport - Mon, 13 Oct 15:54:00 2008

Formula One World Championship leader Lewis Hamilton has shrugged off his disappointing finish in the Japanese Grand Prix and turned his focus on to the final two races of the season.

FORMULA 1 2008 Japanese GP Lewis Hamilton - 0

The McLaren driver started on pole but after impeding Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen at the first turn he then collided on the second lap with title rival Felipe Massa to end his hopes of a podium finish.

In the end, Hamilton finished a lowly 12th while Massa completed the race in eighth before being promoted to seventh after Sebastien Bourdais was struck with a time penalty after the race.

That saw the Toro Rosso driver drop to 10th, allowing Massa to collect a vital two points and close the gap on Hamilton in the driver standings to just five.

"There are positives to take," said Hamilton.

"I've only lost two points to Felipe in the drivers' championship, so it is definitely not over.

"Now I will forget [the race] ever happened and move forward. We have got two more races to go and my target is still to win both of them.

"I am not happy after a result like today but I'm already getting over it and tomorrow will be another day.

"Disappointingly, I didn't make a great start but I slipstreamed Kimi and went up the inside. I braked a bit late - but so did everybody.

"A lot of cars went wide at turn one and I just went a bit wider than everyone else.

"On lap two, Felipe went wide and I went up the inside, giving him room, but he tapped me quite hard into a spin."

Massa also let slip pole position in the previous race in Singapore to finish 13th and knows all too well that fortunes are capable of changing in an instant.

"It could have been better but it could have been worse looking at where we started and where Lewis started," said the Brazilian.

"We cannot leave here saying it was a disaster, it could have been better in terms of points but we at least finished in front [of the McLarens].

"You have to think race-by-race. Maybe you come here and you have a difficult result but in the next race you are very strong again.

"For me it will be two very difficult races. They [McLaren] can be very strong but so can we and we need to believe that."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

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  1. richard n: You forgot to mention the amount of jealousy there is that this young upstart who managed to prove himself by winning everything on the way to F1 was given the chance to drive a Mclaren in his first season. The fact that Mclaren were priming him especially for that purpose means nothing. Thye could have farmed him out at 20 before giving him a race drive, starting his career at the same age as Alonso did, or Button did, or even a year older than Vettel did. I don't think people would be complaining as much if they had seem him prove himself, but its not his fault hardly anyone watches GP2, I have to admit even I rarely watch it.

    From ginger_gitt, on Mon 13 Oct 12:35PM

  2. Bourdois done nothing wrong other than try to drive out of the pits and round the first corner,how the hell "MASSA HIT HIM" i dont know.
    As for the other incidents they go on all the time and no punishment is givin out ..well thats what used to happen.
    F1 = farce nowadays.

    From budgie66, on Mon 13 Oct 12:35PM

  3. if i was hamilton i would played by the same rule. thrown them out whenever possible

    From william m, on Mon 13 Oct 12:28PM

  4. at the end of the day it comes down to one thing and one thing only, lewis hamilton is without doubt an outstanding driver maybe the very best there is and has been ,they do not like anyone under the age of 25 coming on and showing them up and apart from that he's british he makes it look so simple they hate that and trust me their stop at nothing to undermine him even if it means forcing him off the track and objecting to every thing he does ,keep cool lewis show them the way home your without doubt the most outstanding driver f1 has seen to date oh and your british.

    From richard n, on Mon 13 Oct 12:22PM

  5. pond.simba: At least Hamilton had the decency to say he made a mistake at turn 1, I don't remember reading anywhere that Massa was admitting he made a mistake by spinning Hamilton when he cut the chicane. Most fans aren't complaining about the mistake, evben he admitted he got it wrong, but the unfairness of penalties handed out. Can you honestly say that Lewis' mistake was as bad as Massa's? Or more importantly, explain to me why the hell Bourdais got a penalty at all? Massa should have got a second penalty if anyone was going to be found at dault, not Seb!

    From ginger_gitt, on Mon 13 Oct 12:22PM

  6. This site can be read all over the world not just in the UK

    From judith, on Mon 13 Oct 12:21PM

  7. Very well put, William D! I admit that Lewis does make mistakes, as does everyone, but can anyone really disagree with the fact that the FIA are bias towards Ferrari?

    I also agree that they give out too many penalties. Bourdais didn't deserve to be penalised, and I don't see why Lewis was penalised either. I did see that Massa went off the track, and then drove back on straight into Lewis!

    But its a supposed to be a race, so let them all race!

    From Emma, on Mon 13 Oct 12:17PM

  8. the only childish person is you

    From nicky, on Mon 13 Oct 12:11PM

  9. is massa a soup like some of the feed back here

    From nicky, on Mon 13 Oct 12:09PM

  10. these articles are getting more contradictory by the second... is hamilton fuming about fuji, or is he forgetting about it?? personally, i don't believe he should forget about it, but learn from it... but then, mclaren's golden haired boy wonder knows everything, doesn't he... at least, that's what ron dennis says....

    From sagittarius1958, on Mon 13 Oct 11:56AM

  11. pond.simba, ur a brainless muppet!!! - William D, that is the best read I've had in a while. I couldnt have put better myself.....

    From Michael, on Mon 13 Oct 11:53AM

  12. really people its only car racing dont get too wound up if "your" team wins, it doesnt make you great, it makes them great, unless you are part of the team of course but i suspect you aren't

    From phil, on Mon 13 Oct 11:39AM

  13. william your just a complete turnip! at monza in the rain hamilton crashed into two people and forced another driver off the road!FACT! wheres was his penalty for that? please explain this to me as im really confussed by your ignorant rant.

    From pond.simba@..., on Mon 13 Oct 11:39AM

  14. i dont think any of the penalties awarded by the stewards were valid. the "racing incidents" how can u give a penalty for spinning someone off?its rediculous. i dont see penalties being awarded for damaging somebodys car and causing them to retire so this mass penalty awarding needs to be reviewed. i also wish the LH fans would just SHUT UP! he messed up big time yesterday so please stop making excuses for him!

    From pond.simba@..., on Mon 13 Oct 11:37AM

  15. this site is only shown in UK so who cares -- not read anywhere outside UK

    From ssharifahh, on Mon 13 Oct 11:30AM

  16. this site is only shown in UK so who cares -- not read anywhere outside UK

    From ssharifahh, on Mon 13 Oct 11:30AM

  17. this site is only shown in UK so who cares -- not read anywhere outside UK

    From ssharifahh, on Mon 13 Oct 11:30AM

  18. this expensive money waster must be halted

    From ssharifahh, on Mon 13 Oct 11:29AM

  19. this expensive money waster must be halted

    From ssharifahh, on Mon 13 Oct 11:29AM

  20. this expensive money waster must be halted

    From ssharifahh, on Mon 13 Oct 11:29AM
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